Beet diseases and control measures

Vegetable experts say that the tops can be an indicator of the health of the entire plant. Yellowing, staining, and other abnormalities may indicate a lack of nutrients. But often such symptoms also cause beet diseases. Fungal lesions are insidious in that sometimes the harvested crop seems quite normal, but during winter storage it disappears completely.

Another topic that is worth familiarizing with those who decided to start growing this root crop is beet pests and measures to combat them.

Beet diseases are quite numerous, but it is quite possible to protect the root crop from them. In general, this plant is unpretentious, and even novice gardeners can have full bins at the end of the season.

Cercosporosis of beet

Cercospora beetroot - Cercospora beticola
Cercosporosis of beet - Cercospora beticola

Cercosporosis of beet

- one of the most harmful diseases of beets. This disease manifests itself everywhere, wherever this crop is cultivated.

The causative agent of cercosporosis affects not only all types of beets (sugar, table and fodder), but also legumes, potatoes and many other plants (both cultivated and weeds), about 40 plant species in total.

Cercosporosis of beet is manifested mainly on mature leaves, as well as on the stems of seedlings. On beet plants of the first year, the disease appears at the end of June and develops rapidly during the entire ripening period. But over the past years, an earlier occurrence of beet cercosporosis has also been recorded.

Symptoms of the manifestation of beet cercospora

Cercospora is manifested as follows. On diseased leaves, dry brownish foci appear with a red border around the edges, and in the center of a gray color from 2 to 4 mm in diameter. In conditions of high humidity, places of sporulation are formed on the surface of diseased plants, which have the appearance of a gray coating. In dry weather, holes appear at the site of plant damage. As a result, the leaves darken and die off. The leaf plates dry, acquire a rich brown color, curl downward, the leaves lie on the ground. Instead of dead leaves, the plant actively throws out new ones. At the same time, the supply of useful elements, which is necessary for the development of fruits, is significantly wasted. Hence, a decrease in yield. Beetroot disease reduces seed quality. The fruits of the affected plants are smaller than healthy ones, and are less susceptible to storage. The disease develops very quickly with a change in heat and damp weather. The pathogen can persist on plant waste and weeds. The fungus can also persist on beetroot and other plants that are affected by cercospora. The disease intensifies with an increase in beet crops. Dense crops that are not thinned in time are more susceptible to infection.

Protection and prevention measures:

be sure to follow the rules of crop rotation;
timely and thoroughly get rid of weeds and plant residues;
during the manifestation of the disease, spray the plants with copper-containing preparations.

Signs and measures for beet pest control

Among the most dangerous pests of beet seedlings are beet fleas, beet weevils. Throughout the summer, beet leaves are severely damaged by the caterpillars of the moth (cabbage, gamma scoop), meadow moth, beet shchitonoska, beet bug, aphids, beet fly larvae and beet mining moth. Beet roots damage the larvae of beet weevils, caterpillars of gnawing scoops, root aphids.

Beet fleas

Among the most dangerous pests of beet seedlings are beet fleas
Beet seedlings are mainly damaged by two types of flea beet: the common beet flea and the southern beet flea... In both species, beetles are similar. Flea beetles appear in early spring, first on weeds from the Marevye and Buckwheat families, then they switch to beets.

Beetles damage the leaves by gnawing the flesh and leaving the lower skin intact, resulting in "little holes" and then small holes. Damaged seedlings may die. Female beetles lay their eggs on the ground near plants. Eggs are light yellow, oval.

The egg stage lasts two to three weeks. The larvae that hatch from the eggs are white. Beetles of the new generation first feed on plants and then hibernate under plant debris, in the upper soil layer.

Beet flea control measures:

These are all agrotechnical measures that give quick and friendly shoots (early sowing, fertilizing, proper soil cultivation).
Destruction of weeds from the families Marevye and buckwheat (quinoa, various types of buckwheat, etc.), which are additional food for beetles in the spring.
Before sowing, beet seeds are treated with 60% fentiuram at the rate of 4-6 kg per 1 ton.
With the massive appearance of beetles, the crops are sprayed with 25% to 50% EC. metathione or 40% efficiency. phosphamide.
Spraying is repeated after 7-10 days.
In individual gardens, spraying is carried out with the same infusions that are recommended against the cruciferous flea.

Beet aphid

Beet leaf aphid is a very serious pest of sugar beets and their testes

Beet aphid, also known as the bean, or euonymus, aphid.

From vegetable crops, it damages beets, beans, spinach, less often carrots and potatoes. It is widespread everywhere, it is especially numerous in Ukraine, in the Krasnodar Territory, in Altai.

Beet aphids reproduce by parthenogenetic means (viviparous aphids) and sexually.

Parthenogenetic females (winged and wingless) are black, shiny and dull. Sexual females are black or green, much smaller than parthenogenetic females. Sexual females lay black shiny eggs in autumn on euonymus, viburnum or jasmine.

In spring, larvae hatch from overwintered eggs, from which wingless viviparous females hatch. The larvae develop rapidly and begin to hatch cubs. Aphids reproduce very quickly, the development of one generation in the summer occurs in 9-14 days.

During the summer, aphids give 12-15 generations. Two or four generations of aphids develop in the spring on the underside of euonymus, viburnum or jasmine leaves. When the leaves of the shrubs become coarse, it flies to the beets.

Aphids live on the underside of beet leaves, on the testes - on the stems and inflorescences. From damage to aphids, the leaves curl, the plants lag behind in growth and, as a result, the weight of the roots decreases. On the seed plants, the seed yield decreases.

Beet aphid control measures:

To destroy aphids, beet crops and seed plants are sprayed:

25% efficiency aitio,
50% efficiency karbofos,
50% singing efficiency metathione or 40% efficiency. phosphamide.

Solution consumption for spraying 800-1000 l / ha.

Beet fly

Beet fly - Pegomyia hyoscyami. It is one of the most common beetroot pests.

Beet fly affects both crops and beet seed plants.

It inflicts great damage to the crops of this culture in the central non-chernozem zone, in the Urals in Belarus, the Baltic States, Western Siberia and the Far East.

The newly emerged larva is almost transparent, legless.

The false cocoon is brown, shiny, oval in shape.

In mid or late July, flies of the second generation appear, the larvae of the second generation damage beet plants in July - August.

In September, third generation larvae hatch.

In total, two or three generations develop in the middle lane over the summer.

Beet fly control measures:

One of the main measures to control the beet fly is to eliminate the weeds on which the fly grows.
When weeding crops, the affected leaves should also be removed.
In the fall, it is imperative to carry out deep autumn plowing.

During the hatching period of the larvae, when the first mines appear, the crops and testes of beets should be sprayed:

25% efficiency antio,
50% efficiency karbofos,
50% efficiency metathione or 40% efficiency. phosphamide.

Liquid consumption 600 liters per hectare. At least two treatments are carried out in June and one or two treatments are carried out in July and August.

Beet shields

Beet shield beet - Cassida nebulosa L. (order Coleoptera, family Chrysomelidae). The insect develops on sugar and table beets.

Beet shields found in Russia almost everywhere.

Beetles with thyroid spread elytra and pronotum are brownish-brown in color, 6-7 mm long.

The female beetles lay their eggs in small heaps on the leaves of the quinoa, mari.

The larvae are flat, greenish, with long spines and setae on the sides.

The larvae live for 12-14 days, then pupate here on the leaves.

Larvae and beetles eat the pulp of leaves, severely damaged plants die.

During the growing season, two generations of pests develop. P

The first generation of beetles appears in June, the second in August.

Measures to combat beet shchitonoska:

Control measures consist in the destruction of weeds in the crops of beets and spraying with the same drugs that are used against the beet flea.

Beet bug

Beet bug - Poeciloscytus cognatus Fieb. (order Hemiptera, family Miridae). Damages beets, alfalfa, soybeans, sunflower peas, poppy seeds and other plants.

Beet bug widespread, but especially harmful in the Krasnodar, Stavropol and Altai regions.

The bug hibernates in the stage of an egg or an adult insect on various weeds (quinoa, sow thistle, plantain). At the end of April, bugs leave their wintering places.

Soon, the females begin to lay eggs. They lay eggs in the tissue of the stems, arranging them in heaps of 5-8 pcs. The eggs are shiny, orange-yellow in color.

In late May - early June, bugs emerge from overwintered eggs.

Bedbugs and larvae suck the sap from the leaves, the leaves shrivel and wither, the plants slow down and often die.

On the testes, the tops of the shoots are bent and dry out, which is why the seed yield decreases.

Beet bug control measures:

To reduce the damage to plants by bedbugs, it is necessary to destroy weeds in and around the plantings, since bedbugs lay eggs on them in the fall.

Bedbugs and larvae are destroyed by spraying beet plants with the following preparations:

25% efficiency antio,
50% efficiency karbofos,
50% efficiency metathione or 40% efficiency. phosphamide.

Beet miner moth

Beet miner moth, has a light brown color, with a dull yellow pattern on the wings, the hind wings are decorated with fringes.

Butterflies appear in the spring.

Eggs are pearl-white, oblong, about 0.3 mm long.

The egg develops in 4 to 7 days.

Caterpillars are gray-green, 10-12 mm long.

The hatched caterpillars feed on undeveloped leaves and grind through the stalks.

Such damage can cause leaf death and plant death.

With increasing drought, the caterpillars drill into the roots and grind holes in them.

Caterpillars pupate in the soil in a spider cocoon. Pupa of light brown color, 5-6 mm long.

It takes one to two weeks for the pupa to develop.

The beet moth gives four to five generations during the growing season.

Control measures for beet miner:

Thorough harvesting of crops, as well as cut leaves, on which the caterpillars can finish their development.
Early deep autumn plowing is also required.
To destroy butterflies and young caterpillars, beet crops and testes are sprayed with the same preparations that are used in the fight against the beet bug.
On the testes, spraying is carried out in the rosette phase and during the growth of peduncles.

During the summer, two or three sprays are carried out. Liquid consumption 500 liters per hectare.

Root aphid

Root beet aphid is a very harmful species of the suborder Aphids. It feeds on the fibrous beet roots, which leads to the death of the plant.

Root aphid differs from ordinary beet aphid in yellowish-white color.

It feeds on aphids on root crops, sticking to the lateral roots, as a result, the flow of water and nutrients into the plants is disrupted. Plants stunted, leaves wither and dry out.

Various diseases develop on weakened root crops in the field and during storage.

The defeat of beets by root aphids can be judged by the condition of the plants; beet leaves are underdeveloped and pale in color.

Foci of damage appear on plants in late July - early August.

Under optimal conditions for the development of aphids, the size of the foci rapidly increases, and by the time of harvesting, almost all plants are affected.

Root aphids, like other aphids, reproduce parthenogenetically; in July - September, females give birth to live larvae.

In the first decade of September, winged individuals appear, sexual females that lay eggs.

Larvae of various ages and wingless females overwinter in the soil.

Together with the beet roots, aphids can be brought into storage, where they will continue to develop.

On the roots of root crops, in most cases, it is under a white, fluffy waxy coating.

Root aphid control measures:

To prevent the spread of root aphids, it is necessary to identify its foci.
Sow the beets away from the affected beets.
Everywhere to destroy white moth, since in spring the pest feeds and multiplies on its roots.
In the lesion focus, root crops should be immediately removed and used for livestock feed.
Before sowing, seeds are treated with fentiuram or fentiuram-molybdate at the rate of 4-6 g per 1 kg of seeds.

Beet weevil

The common beet weevil greatly harms the plantings and testes of various types of beets.

The beetle is grayish-brown in color, 12-16 mm long; the elytra have a white spot at the end.

Beetles leave their wintering sites as soon as the soil warms up to 10 ° C, first they feed on weeds from the Marevye family (quinoa, Mary, bird buckwheat), and then move on to sowing beets.

Beetles nibble on beet seedlings, and if they appear massively, the crops may die completely.

In May - June, female beetles lay their eggs in the topsoil near beet plants and weeds. After 10-11 days, white, arched-bent, brown-headed larvae, up to 30 mm long, hatch from the eggs, which feed on beet roots.

As a result of damage, the leaves of the beet stick, the roots become ugly, and the yield decreases. The larvae develop within 45-90 days.

Beet weevil control measures

In the fight against the beet weevil, the following are important:

sowing dates for beets,
plant feeding and careful processing of row spacings,
seed dressing with 65% p. fentiuram at the rate of 4-6 kg per 1 ton of seeds.

For better adhesion of the powder, the seeds should be moistened with water — 15 liters per 1 ton of seeds.

The last spraying is carried out 20 days before, and phosphamide - 30 days before harvesting.

Fomoz of beet

Beet Phoma - Phoma betae
Fomoz of beet - Phoma betae

Beet disease is common in all areas of beet growing.But this beet disease is especially harmful in the steppe and forest-steppe conditions. Beet phomosis affects all varieties of beets, as well as spinach.

This disease of beets manifests itself as follows: first of all, brownish spots appear on the tops, on which black dots (spores) are visible, over time the number of spots grows, and spores fall on the surface of the fruit. The main types of beet phomosis are: root-eater, zonal spotting, dry heart-shaped rot. On plants of the first year of planting, the disease primarily affects the lower, adult leaves, and on the testes it affects leaves of all ages. In this case, large, about 1 cm, yellow-brown spots appear, which die off over time. Dots of black color are clearly visible on them - spores of mushrooms.

When the beet stems are affected by the phomosis, the diseased areas acquire a lighter color. The spots often coalesce to form large spots. Spores of the pathogen fungus are also clearly visible on these spots. This led to the emergence of another name for this disease - pinpoint testis stalks

The spores of the fungus are in the shape of a ball. Their size ranges from 100 to 400 microns. Spores vary in color from light brown to dark brown. During rain or dew, the beet plants become infected. The manifestation of the disease on the fruits is the appearance of core rot. The disease begins from the head, and then moves conically to the base of the fetus. When cutting the affected fruit, you may notice that some of it has turned black. The mycelium of the pathogen destroys mainly the young areas of the root, causing the appearance of dark gray or brown spots. The tissues of the beetroot fruit rot and become dry. When root crops affected by dry rot enter the kagats, they quickly form foci of kagat rot.

It will not be superfluous to note that they are mainly affected by the phomosis of root crops, which are grown in soil with a deficient boron content. Boron deficiency leads to the death of the growth point of the fetus, and the fungus that has settled in the affected tissue provokes the development of black dry rot.

Plant debris, affected fruits and seeds are the source of beet phomosis infection. Disease of beet fomoz can be contained by the exact fulfillment of the entire agro-technological complex of requirements for the cultivation of this crop, as well as a sufficient amount of nutrients. Disease progression also depends on the beet variety and seed treatment with fungicides.

This disease can lead to the death of the entire sugar beet crop; prevention of this disease is necessary.

Preventive and protective measures:

use varieties and hybrids of beets that are resistant to fomoz;
alternate varieties in the garden. Place the beets in the crop rotation so that they return to their original place no earlier than after 3-4 years;
the main laying of mineral fertilizers is carried out in the fall. For this purpose, complex fertilizers are used. In the spring, an additional amount of fertilizer is introduced into the rows during sowing. The calculation of the amount of fertilizers is based on the data of the agrochemical analysis of the soil;
manure is applied under the crop, which is the predecessor of beets in the crop rotation;
use only etched seeds;
harvest beets from the garden in time;
only healthy fruits can be stored. Beets are best stored at a temperature of 0-2 ° C and a relative humidity of 90-95%.

Medvedka

A big pest of vegetable gardens is a bear, or earth crayfish. Even 15-20 years ago, its description and image were found in the literature, and people looked at the strange insect with curiosity. Now you can see a live bear on your or a neighbor's site. This Orthoptera is able to move through the air, and it also enters the gardens along with manure, in which it likes to winter.

The insect multiplies rapidly.One female can lay up to 500 eggs in the soil. The larvae emerge from them in 3 weeks, their formation into adults takes 2 years.

Earth crayfish reaches a length of 5, less often 6-8 cm. Above its head is a shell, which serves as a protection for the insect. Of the three pairs of limbs, the first is the most unusual. Wide and powerful, mole-like paws are designed for digging soil. Thanks to them, the bear digs long passages in the ground, along which it moves at high speed, looking for food for itself. This arthropod also lives underground in burrows, crawling out of there at night.

Large insects feed on various root crops, eating them from all sides. In the summer, they can also eat beet tops. Bears are most dangerous in spring, when they gnaw through young shoots at the very roots. Often earthen crayfish eat roots, without which plantings wither and die.

To combat these arthropods, humans use many methods. Since the bears live underground, they are lured to the surface by pouring several liters of a solution of laundry soap or washing powder into each hole, and then destroying them by chopping off the body.

Traps with beer or honey water are widely used, as their smell attracts insects. A drink is poured into small bottles or cans, and the container is poured into the ground at an angle and the top is tied with a bandage. Bears gnaw through the fabric and make their way inside the bottles, but they cannot get out. More than a dozen individuals can be crammed into one container.

In the fall, earthen crabs are fought with manure. In several places of the site (along the perimeter), small holes are dug, which are filled with compost. Insects crawl there for the winter. When frosts come, traps dig up and scatter manure around the garden. Bears do not have time to get into the ground and die from the cold.

Beet powdery mildew

Beet powdery mildew - Erysiphe betae
Beet powdery mildew - Erysiphe betae

Beet powdery mildew infects plants of the first and second years of life. In plants of the first year, first of all, medium-aged leaves are affected, then older ones, and in the last turn young leaves are affected, on seed plants, beets of the second year of life - tops and seed glomeruli. The main symptom of this beet disease is the appearance of a thin white cobweb on both sides of the leaves, which very quickly becomes a white continuous cover on the leaves. In late July - early August, black dots appear on the leaves - mushroom spores. The spore sizes are 30-40 × 10-15 microns.

Mushrooms stay overwintering on the remains of diseased plants.

The main method of protection is the immediate disposal of the affected plants, as well as their debris. Powdery mildew develops especially well in dry and hot weather, when plants are most susceptible to disease.

Control measures:

compliance with crop rotation;
destruction of post-harvest plant residues;

Reviews of gardeners

consolida

Our beets do not grow well and do not grow very well. This year, a lot of wood ash was poured into the grooves before sowing: it sprouted well. Yesterday, before watering, they again covered it with ash.

Astra

I poured it with salted water, after a while - with boric acid. Now she's turned green. And yesterday I poured Flomber, a soft lime substitute. Beets do not like acidic soil.

Rhizomania, or beetroot beet

Rhizomania, or beetroot beet
Beet vein necrotic yellowing virus (VNPZhV).

The main signs of this beet disease are also detected in the underground part and look like a "bearded" fetus, but the clearest symptom of this viral disease is vascular necrosis, which is clearly visible on the root cut.

The causative agent of beet rhizomania also systemically affects its aerial part. At the same time, the tops curl, and the veins on the leaves turn yellow or necrotic.This type of sugar beet infection can develop in foci or even proceed without any visible symptoms, but the quality of the fruit and the yield are significantly reduced.

This beet disease mainly spreads through contaminated soil, water, plant debris, equipment, and even during the transportation of fruits.

The main measures of protection and prevention of this disease are:

destruction of plant residues;
isolation of beet crops from seed plants;
adding a whole complex of mineral fertilizers and, of course, boron to the soil for beet beds.

There are also chemical remedies for beet rhizomania. Before determining the uterine fruits of beets for storage, they should be treated with a 5% solution of Fundazole or Benazole. There is also a recommendation, before storing uterine roots, to spray them with the fungicide Rovral.

How to treat before storage?

If the beets were harvested correctly, carefully selected and properly stored, no processing is necessary. When stored properly, root vegetables can be stored for up to 8 months.

But some gardeners still prefer to process vegetables. Here are some ways to handle beets before storage.:

root crop processing sifted wood ash;
reliably protects beets from infections and chalk powder. Before storage, the fruits are carefully rolled in it;
"Salt method"... Root crops are treated with saline (250 grams of salt is taken in a bucket of water), then they are thoroughly dried and sent for winter storage;
beetroot processing from clay. To do this, the clay is diluted with water to the state of liquid sour cream. After such processing, the fruits are also thoroughly dried.

Peronosporosis or downy mildew of beets

Peronospora beetroot - Peronospora schachtii
Peronosporosis beet - Peronospora schachtii

The second name of this disease is downy mildew.

When spores get on the fruit, decay occurs. It is often noticed when vegetables are already stored. Peronosporosis develops especially rapidly in humid warm weather in the first half of summer. The shortest incubation period is achieved at a temperature of about 16 ° C. On plants of the first year of life, the central leaves of the rosette are primarily infected. And young shoots and even seedlings are affected in plants of the second year of life. The main symptom of the disease is the appearance of a plaque, which has a gray-purple color, on the underside of the leaves. Plaque can also appear on other aboveground organs of the beet. Leaves curl, thicken. If the defeat by peronospora is strong, then the beet tops gradually darken and dry out. In this case, the plant's physiological processes are disturbed and the plant may die. Beetroots affected by downy mildew are very susceptible to knot rot during storage.

The mushroom hibernates on plant debris, seeds, and also on the surface of beets, which have already been determined for storage.

Protection and prevention measures:

affected plants are immediately removed from the garden;
spray the area with a 1% solution of Bordeaux liquid. The first treatment is carried out when signs of the disease are detected, the subsequent one after three weeks.

Beetles

Such beetles as beet weevil (beetroot) and fleas are the main pests of beets, and the fight against them is carried out in all corners of Russia.

The weevil is a gray-brown insect up to 13-14 mm long, its scaly body is covered with fine hairs. A distinctive feature, by which one can easily recognize the beetroot, is its front part of the head extended into a tube. Beetles hibernate in the soil and crawl out in early spring. They are dangerous for plant sprouting, as they eat up the cotyledons and bite off the sprouts.

These insects love the swan, which also belongs to the Hibiscus subfamily.In those areas where it grows, weevils have enough food, so they multiply more. When several pairs of leaves appear on the seedlings (in the second half of May), each female lays 60-100 eggs in the ground, from which larvae hatch a week later. They feed on the roots of the plant, gnawing passages in them. This spoils the appearance of root crops, causes wilting and yellowing of the tops. Adult weevils gnaw the petioles and edges of the leaves, eat the bracts.

A popular measure to combat beetles is to enclose the beet bed with small grooves with sheer walls. If the weevil finds itself in a ditch, it will not be able to get out of there. Trapped insects are collected and destroyed or sprayed on site with Decis. In summer, the swan should be pulled out of the ground in time, until its seeds have fallen to the ground, then next year there will be less food on the site for beetles and their population will decrease.

Beet fleas are tiny insects up to 2.3 mm long, covered with dark green chitin. They fly from wintering grounds to vegetable gardens in April and first eat weeds. When the haze hatchlings emerge, the flea feeds on cotyledons and leaves. Traces of its activity are through holes or holes gnawed in the pulp. The tops then turn yellow and curl. Often, in addition to the leaves, the beetle also eats the growing point, destroying seedlings at an early stage of life.

Beet rope rot

Beet rope rot caused by Fusarium
Beet rope rot - Botrytis, Fusarium oxysporum, Rhizopus, Phoma, Penicillium, Aspergillus

and etc.

Root rot is a range of beet diseases caused by various microorganisms (fungi and bacteria), but the most aggressive is the causative agent of gray rot.

These diseases develop during winter storage. The disease usually appears during the growing season, continues to develop during storage in kagats. In such conditions, pathogens are transmitted along the chain from affected root crops to healthy ones, especially through injured places. This disease manifests itself in the form of a different color of mold on the fruits, as well as wet or dry rot. In no case should such root vegetables be used when cooking for people and pets.

The quality of the fruit is also influenced by the timing of the beet harvest. If harvesting was done too late or too early, the roots freeze or wither. As a result, root crops are susceptible to massive beet rotting.

Protection and prevention measures:

timely disinfection of warehouses and containers for storing vegetables;
getting rid of spoiled and affected beets before placing them for storage;
the use of preparations developed on the basis of bacteria for spraying plants during the growing period;
on sugar and fodder beets, seed pelleting is possible.

Things to Remember

Prepare the seeds... It is recommended to sort them, disinfect them before planting in a solution of potassium permanganate.
Fertilize... Beets react best to organics, but complex additives can also be used.
Carry out preventive spraying... The choice of the remedy is influenced by the growing season; also, 3 weeks before the collection of root crops, the use of chemicals is stopped.
Prepare the garden bed after harvest: collect all plant residues, dig up.

Root seedling, or black beet leg

Root seedling, or black leg of beet
Beet root eater - this beet disease is caused by a complex of conditions unfavorable for the development of the plant, followed by damage by various microorganisms, for example, fungi from the genera Pythium, Fusarium, Phoma

and etc.

Most often, the causative agent of beet root disease is - Pythium debarianum

The causative agent affects the underground part of the seedlings, as a result of which the stem becomes thinner in the place of decay, blackening and dying off in the lower part. At the same time, the plant lags behind in growth, it withers, turns yellow and often dies off. Cold and humid weather is favorable for the beet root-eater. At this time, the root system of the beet forms slowly, and some roots die off from the lack of oxygen in the waterlogged soil, after which they are a source of infection.

Beetroot develops resistance to root-eater after the formation of a second pair of true leaves.

Beet root eater can reduce yields by 40-50% or more. In case of severe damage, up to 100%.

The most common manifestations of this fungal disease are darkening of plants, thinning of seedling roots, this mainly leads to the death of crops. It happens that shoots can die even before shoots appear above the soil surface. The rootworm is especially active in acidic soils in wet weather. If the damage is small, then the plants have a good chance of survival, but the yield will be of lower quality.

Protection and prevention measures:

periodically it is necessary to carry out liming of the soil;
if necessary, add boron solution;
use only treated seeds for sowing;
follow the rules of crop rotation;
thin out the plants in the garden in time;
get rid of weeds in a timely manner;
loosen the soil on the beet bed to provide sufficient air access to the roots.

Growth factors and development of diseases

The firmness of plants depends on the degree of their feeding. When feeding the root system with mineral and organic fertilizers, the risk of cercosporosis and rot on the roots of plants is reduced. If the soil on the site is alkaline, liming of the beds can save from many pests.

Important: Deep plowing of the soil at the end of October will destroy the larvae of harmful insects.

Poor drainage and unstable watering during dry weather can affect the taste of the root crop. If it is not clear why the beets are bitter and have underdeveloped tubers, then this may mean that the planting of the root crop was carried out incorrectly. To prevent this, a wet cardboard is laid on a bed with seeds sown in holes. It will serve as a protective agent against drought of the surface layer, and the earth will remain moist for a long time. When the first shoots break through the ground, the cardboard is removed. During the germination period, the cardboard should occasionally be moistened with water.

To add juiciness and taste to the beets, it should be fed with mullein infusion mixed with charcoal. Beets can stop their root development due to their planting in the soil of high acidity. Also, beets can have a bitter taste due to the lack of mineral fertilizers.

Important: After precipitation, the beds must be hilled, since the lack of oxygen affects the taste and shape of the root crop.

Slowdown in development and growth

The plant does not have enough carbon dioxide, the assimilation process stops, the leaves turn black, curl and soon die off - these are all signs of a violation of the development and growth of beets. The fruits of the affected plant are not stored for long, have an irregular shape. The under-harvest of beets can reach 30-70%. Protection:

planting of tolerant and hybrid varieties;
planting in compliance with crop rotation rules;
eradicating remaining roots and weeds at the planting site.

Common beet scab

Common beet scab - Actinomyces scabies
Common beet scab - Actinomyces scabies

This bacterial disease of beets can be seen when digging up roots or during storage.

With this disease, small and shallow cracks that look like scabs and crusts appear on the surface of root crops, on which cork tissue rapidly grows. The fruit infected with scab becomes denser, loses its commercial qualities, and is also much worse stored in winter. This beet disease mainly occurs in areas where fresh manure has been applied. After applying such fertilizer, at least two to three years should pass before planting the beets.

The causative agent of beet scab overwinters in the ground. Just like spores in infected tissues, this bacteria is transmitted by water (during irrigation or rain), wind, plant debris and agricultural equipment. The bacterium enters the young tissues of the beet root through the skin, and if the tissues are more mature, then penetration takes place through cracks and natural holes. This bacterium develops not only in cells, but also between them. A layer of cork tissue develops on the infected parts of the fetus. The cork layer is rather quickly affected by the pathogens of the common scab, and this new layer degenerates into crusts that look like scabs. This bacterium parasitizes most root crops (radishes, parsnips, beets, carrots, potatoes). The ideal temperature for infection is 20 to 22 ° C.

Protection and prevention measures:

remove plant residues in a timely manner;
follow the rules of crop rotation;
spray with Cartocide or Copper Oxychloride;
maintain soil moisture comparable to the level of field moisture capacity during the first 6 weeks after tuber formation;
the soil pH level should not exceed 5.2;
avoid light soils, and especially soils with a high content of organic elements;
rotation with cereals.

Prevention measures

Fungal diseases of beet are poorly treated because infestation occurs underground and signs of infection can only be detected at harvest time.

That is why preventive measures should be followed:

choose varieties that are resistant to fungal diseases;
observe crop rotation, do not grow root crops in one place for more than 4-5 years in a row;
to correctly feed, to avoid an overabundance and lack of minerals in the soil;
prepare the soil before planting - remove all plant residues, roots and dig up the site;
monitor the acidity level of the substrate;
use fungicides to prevent infection before the start of active vegetation of plants;
before sowing, dress the seeds, carefully reject the planting material.

Almost all fungal infections develop only in conditions of high humidity, which is why the irrigation regime should be observed, and the soil moisture should be monitored.

There are a large number of diseases of beet, the most dangerous among them are fungal infections. Signs of infection are not always easy to detect, as the disease can develop in the root crop itself.

To avoid loss of yield, it is important to follow preventive measures and use chemical fungicides at the first manifestations of the fungus.

Gray beet rot

Pathogen - Botrytis cinerea

Symptoms of this beet disease are already detected during the harvesting process. Gray rot infection begins in the underside of the beet. The infected part turns brown. A grayish bloom appears on the surface of the affected part, which includes mycelium and fungal spores. The spores are round or oval in shape. They are unicellular and range in size from 10 to 15 × 5-10 microns. On sporulation, they are placed in the form of a bunch. Then sclerotia are formed, which have a black color and a diameter of 2 to 5 mm. The disease spreads through direct contact with affected root crops, as well as spores. Withering of root crops, freezing and injuries of beet fruits help to develop the disease. High temperature and humidity also contribute to the development of beet gray mold.

Protection and prevention measures:

following the rules of crop rotation;
adherence to the technique of growing and storing beets.

Classification of drugs

When applying a herbicide for beets, you need to know exactly how it should act, its chemical composition, which is preferable for a certain area and region.

Subdivide herbicides as follows. For the purpose of use, that is, what type of vegetation needs to be destroyed:

For weeds.
For trees and shrubs.
For aquatic vegetation.

Another classification, scope:

Continuous herbicides. They are used to remove grass on football fields or roadsides.
Selective herbicides. Applied in fields or personal plots. Such preparations destroy part of the vegetation.

By chemical structure, they are divided into the following types:

Aryloxyalkylcarboxylic acid.
Sulfonylurea.
Aryloxypropionic acid.
Organophosphorus composition of the substance.

The ability to move around the plant classifies herbicides of 2 types:

Contact. They act immediately after use.
Systemic. They destroy weeds after getting into the plants with moisture.

The summer resident chooses a herbicide that is suitable for a certain variety of beets, for example, fodder, or any other. The purpose of the drugs is also taken into account.

Beet rot

White rot of beets is caused by the same fungus as white rot of other vegetables. The infected tissue acquires softness, moisture, and a cotton-like mycelium appears on its surface. On the mycelium, large black sclerotia develop, having a diameter of about 3 cm. During the storage period, rot develops further and, with close contact, causes damage to healthy root crops. Increased temperature and humidity in the storage facility help widespread infection.

Protection and prevention measures:

following the rules of crop rotation;
adherence to the technique of growing and storing beets.

Major diseases

Compliance with agrotechnical measures will protect the planting from various infections, but there are exceptions. Regardless of the variety - beetroot, fodder or sugar beet - the diseases are often the same. Fungal and bacterial infections cause diseases:

rot - kagatnaya, gray, white, red, fusarium, tail rot;
powdery mildew;
common scab;
rust;
peronosporosis;
phomosis;
blackleg;
bacterial cancer.

When infected with the virus, rhizomania, mosaic, and jaundice may develop. Some damage to beets is caused by a lack or excess of micronutrients in the soil. The creation of unfavorable growing conditions leads to decay of the roots, a decrease in yield.

Rope rot

This is the name of a group of diseases in sugar beet caused by fungi and bacteria. The common thing is that the first symptoms appear during the storage period of root crops, although infection occurs even during the growing season.The manifestations of the disease depend on the microorganisms that caused the disease, measures to combat them are reduced to adherence to agricultural techniques for planting and growing, disinfection of seed and soil. Affected specimens must be removed as they become unsuitable for human consumption and processing. Symptoms of infection depend on the pathogen; they manifest themselves in the form of mold of various shades, dry and wet rot. Sick root vegetables are dangerous for healthy ones.

Rope rot affects damaged beet heads even through small scratches. Particularly susceptible to it are frostbitten, withered specimens. Conditions of high or low temperature and humidity contribute to the development of the disease. To avoid infection, you must:

timely pest control;
observe agricultural techniques for planting and growing;
store only whole, healthy roots;
create optimal indoor conditions;
take preventive protective measures.

Powdery mildew

A disease of a fungal nature, manifested at the first stage by small white spots on the upper side of the leaves. Gradually, the spots become larger in size, occupy first the leaf, then the entire aerial part. It seems that the plant is watered with a solution of lime. Closer examination reveals the mycelium of the fungus, similar to a spider web or a thin layer of cotton wool. Over time, the plaque becomes dense, powdery.

The disease strongly suppresses the plant, but does not immediately lead to death, since the pathogen exists at its expense. Beetroot spends a lot of energy, nutrients on the formation, development of the root crop, therefore it does not cope with the infection and dies. Powdery mildew spreads quickly in dry, hot weather. Higher temperatures and humidity weaken plants and reduce their resistance to disease. Preventive control measures - agricultural technology, crop rotation, seed treatment before planting. Infected specimens must be removed from the beds and destroyed. At an early stage of the disease, treatment with a fungicide can help; it is also sprayed with all healthy plants for prevention.

Of the drugs, Quadris, Topaz, Bayleton, Fundazim, Ditan M-45, Fundazol are used.

Common scab

On any part of the beet head, dark brown crusts 2-3 mm thick with cracks may appear. Severe infestation with common scab is manifested by the formation of hard cork growths. Bacterial and fungal infections in deep cracks cause rot development.

The disease is typical for beets cultivated in heavy soils with an alkaline environment (pH 7-8). Mushrooms are not able to decompose fiber, so they do not penetrate into root crops.

Compaction of the soil after heavy watering or heavy rain in high temperature conditions is favorable for infection.

Common scab leads to a slowdown in the growth of beet heads, a decrease in their weight by up to 2 times, sugar content by 1-3%. Prevention of the disease consists in observing crop rotation, pre-sowing soil preparation (all plant residues should be removed, if necessary, increase the acidity by adding sulfuric or orthophosphoric acid). Do not allow an excessive amount of dressings, especially organic fertilizers. At the first sign, it is necessary to spray the bushes with a Bordeaux mixture, copper oxychloride, kartocide or other drugs.

Rust

It is caused by a fungal infection, it can manifest itself in the spring with dark dots on the upper side of the leaves and orange pads on the bottom. In summer, the formation of a brown color, dusty. It is in the summer stage that massive contamination of plantings occurs. Rust causes the death of the aerial part of the beets, a decrease in yield and sugar content in the tubers.

All foci of infection must be burned, plant residues must be carefully removed after harvest. Instances on which the first signs appeared should be immediately removed from the beds.Fertilizing with potassium and phosphorus can help early on. Of the preparations, Alto super 330, Abacus, Amistar extra 280 are used.

Rhizomania

The causative agent is a virus carried by the fungi Polymyxa betae. Infection manifests itself at the stage of formation of 4-6 true leaves. Their color becomes light green, yellowish. In the second half of the cultivation of beets, a change in the color of the leaf vessels to a brownish tint becomes noticeable, then necrosis develops in these places. Symptoms may be absent, then the disease is determined by dwarfism, beardiness of the heads. On the cut of the root, the browning of the vessels is noticeable.

Timely weeding, removal of plant residues after harvesting, and destruction of infected specimens will prevent contamination of the plantings. Pesticides are powerless against infection. Compliance with crop rotation is also not effective, since the pathogen remains in the soil for up to 10 years. There are varieties that are resistant to rhizomania, in most cases these are hybrids.

Peronosporosis

Symptoms are blanching of leaves, curling of their edges downward, thickening, fragility. A grayish-purple bloom appears on the lower part of the leaf, as a result it turns black, dies off. Downy mildew, or downy mildew, affects peduncles and seed pods. They are deformed, develop poorly, and die.

The causative agent is a fungal infection. Favorable conditions for development - cool (+ 16 ° C) weather with high humidity (70%). The disease usually begins in May - June. The second outbreak occurs in autumn. Pre-sowing preparation of the soil, destruction of infected specimens, and cultivation of resistant varieties will help prevent peronospora beet disease. Seeds must be treated with Apron XL 350 before planting. Fungicides used during the growing season - Amistar Extra, Acrobat MC.

Red beet rot

The causative agent of the disease - Rhizoctonia violacea
The causative agent of the disease - Rhizoctonia violacea

Beet red rot infects beets, potatoes, carrots and other root crops.

Symptoms of the disease on beet fruits appear even in the garden, the greatest development of red rot is achieved by the time of harvest. Lead-gray spots of various sizes appear on the fruits, which are covered with plexuses of mycelium of a red-violet color.

After harvesting, black sclerotia appear in very large numbers on the beets. Infected tissues remain firm for a long time, and then quickly become soft and rot. Excessively moist soil and warm weather conditions are the main prerequisites for numerous manifestations of rhizoctonia. Wetlands, wet peat bogs, stagnant water are favorite places for the development of red beet rot disease.

Protection and prevention measures:

deliberate and correct choice of a place for beet beds;
compliance with the rules of crop rotation and beet growing technology.

Fusarium beet rot

Causative agents - fungi of the genus Fusarium

Fusarium beet rot occurs in late May - early June. The leaves wither, and their petioles acquire a black color. The roots of the plant slow down in their development, and numerous small roots appear on their surface from the sides. If you cut an infected root crop, you will see inside it areas with brown and necrotic fibrous vascular bundles, as well as axial voids that are filled with pinkish-white mycelium.

If the infection is strong, then the tail of the beet root is disheveled, stained light brown and rotted. Less often, the neck and head of the root rot. Cracks form on the surface of the root crop, which are filled with white bloom.

The ideal conditions for the development of the causative agent of fusarium beet rot are insufficient soil moisture and its solar overheating. Also, the pathogen can penetrate into areas of damage and injury.

Beet tail rot

Bacteria develop on beet plants in the first year of life. When the beet is affected by tail rot, the root tip and fibrous roots die. The tops of plants become chlorotic, and then they also die off. The development of the disease intensifies in insufficiently moistened soil and with an excess of nitrogen in the soil. During storage, root crops affected by rot continue to rot and infect other root crops.

Protection and prevention measures:

getting rid of the remnants of affected plants;
digging up the soil;
timely disposal of diseased plants;
applying the correct fertilizers (potassium-phosphorus)
timely watering;
compliance with the rules of crop rotation
getting rid of the affected roots when determining beet root crops for storage;
timely soil moistening and loosening of row spacings;
introduction of complex fertilizers (organic + mineral);
liming the soil;
destruction of pests that live in the soil.

Folk remedies

Laundry soap solution Description: take 30 g of soap per 1 liter of water; add 50 g of tobacco dust; mix and spray the planting, filtering before use
	Ammonia Description: helps to get rid of many beet pests; for 10 liters of water you need to add 1 tbsp. ammonia; the product can be sprayed on plantings or watering beets at the root
	Brine Description: take 200 g of sodium chloride per 10 liters of water; mix, water the beets over the foliage; the most effective treatments are in mid-July, when ovaries appear

Beet rust

Beet rust - Uromyces betae
The causative agent of the disease - Uromyces betae

The disease infects beet plants during the entire period of growth and maturation.

In the spring, small yellowish pads appear on the seedlings of beets - this is how the ecidial stage of beet rust development passes. Etsidiospores infect adult plants. Then, brown pads are formed on the affected plants - thus the uredostadia of the fungus passes. It is this stage in the development of the pathogen that is the main one. At this stage, the greatest damage to beet plants occurs. The next stage of development of the pathogen occurs as follows - dark brown pads appear on the affected areas, which overwinter on the remains of affected plants. If the manifestation of rust is very strong, then the leaves dry out ahead of time.

The best conditions for the onset and development of the disease are warm and humid weather.

The disease can also be spread by seeds. The fungus can also overwinter on uterine roots of table and sugar beet.

Protection and prevention measures:

Rust should be dealt with in the same ways as with peronosporosis. It should also be noted that space insulation is very important in the fight against beet rust. First year plants should not be planted closer than 1.5 km to second year plants.

Security measures

The use of herbicides on beets requires precautions. Before use, be sure to read the instructions. Since each drug requires an individual approach.

Gloves should be worn to work with herbicides, especially when working with highly volatile preparations. You can not drink, smoke, eat. Clothes are washed after completion, never reusing. Water and drug residues should not be poured into water bodies.

A week after spraying, you can not water, loosen the ground on plantings. Wash the sprayer with water and powder.

The use of herbicides greatly facilitates the work of a summer resident or industrialist. The destruction of weeds will help to grow beets without significant crop losses. It is necessary to use various methods of struggle in a complex. But the most effective is the chemical one.

Beet mosaic

The causative agent of beet mosaic is a virus Sombane mosaic virus

(mosaic virus)

The beet mosaic appears in the variegated color of the beet tops. In this disease, light spots on the leaves alternate with darker ones. The size and shape of the mosaic spots can be completely different. In conditions of abundant infection with the mosaic virus, beet leaves wrinkle, and the leaf blade becomes thinner in comparison with healthy plants. Disease on the testes appears as a result of infection of plants in the first year of life.

Affected testes are the main source of spread of the beet mosaic virus. All kinds of aphids, cicadas and beet bugs are the main carriers of the mosaic virus from diseased plants to healthy ones.

The causative agent of beet mosaic overwinters in the root system of perennial weeds and in uterine roots. The virus does not spread through seeds.

Protection and prevention measures:

spatial isolation of the testes;
pest control - carriers of the virus;
getting rid of weeds;
use only healthy fruits for queen cells.

Features of growing and caring for beets

This vegetable is not very whimsical. Like all garden crops, it requires timely sowing, weeding from weeds, moderate watering and prevention from diseases. Beetroot seeds are sown in warm ground from + 5 ° C and above. Accordingly, seedlings will appear faster in warmer soil. By comparison, at a temperature of +5 ° C, the seeds will germinate within 3 weeks, and at +15 ° C in a week. The plant does not tolerate early spring colds very favorably, so it is better to sow beets in early May or later.

The land should be well loosened and fertilized with organic or mineral fertilizers. On soils prone to waterlogging, it is better not to sow beetroot, since in an excess of moisture, root crops grow slower and worse. But drought also has a negative effect, during dry periods it is necessary to water vegetables.

So that weeds do not muffle young shoots, you need to periodically weed and loosen the ground in the beet beds. Dense shoots must be thinned out, since they will not have enough space and the roots may not reach their size, all growth will go to the tops. But even having provided all the necessary conditions for growth, you may not get the desired harvest in the fall. Beet diseases and pests are the cause. Since parasites and sores of garden crops slow down growth and reduce the yield.

Beet root bacterial cancer

The causative agent of bacterial root carcinoma, or beet goiter (the second name of this disease) is Agrobacterium radiobacter

This beet disease manifests itself in the form of outgrowths on the underground parts of beet roots. Most often, these growths (tumor) affect the neck, rarely - the lower parts of the root. The surface of the tumor, as a rule, is uneven, most often covered with cork tissue and usually does not rot. The inner tissue of the neoplasm is light and dense.

Beet cancer bacteria, as a rule, are not present in the affected tissues. They can be identified only at the very beginning of the disease.

The pathogen infects about 60 species of cultivated and wild plants. The bacterium, the causative agent of beet crop growth, remains viable on plant debris and in the soil.

Growing beets in alkaline soil contributes to the development of cancer. In areas where bacterial cancer is found, fresh manure and lime the soil should not be applied for sowing beets.

Fusarium - the scourge of root crops and tops

The disease enters the root crop from the soil, and at the beginning of the development of the disease, it turns yellow and takes out the foliage along with the cuttings. Then the disease manifests itself on the root crop itself. This is a fungal disease and can no doubt be diagnosed on the affected root crop by the mycelium on the cut.

Plants that lack moisture, as well as those that were damaged by loosening and removing weeds, are especially strongly affected.

Fusarium must be fought with the following methods:

feed with boron-containing fertilizers;
lime acidic soils;
to withstand the requirements of crop rotation;
deep loosening of row spacings;
water abundantly.

Diseased plants must be destroyed.

Beet jaundice

Beet jaundice - the causative agent of the virus Beet yellow virus

This disease occurs on the territory of Ukraine (more often on the Right Bank part), in Moldova, the Baltic republics, Belarus, the central black earth regions of the Russian Federation and the Krasnodar Territory.

Beet jaundice is detected on plants of the first and second year of life.

The lower and middle leaves affected by jaundice turn yellow. Infection begins from the tops of the leaves, and then gradually moves along the edges and between the main veins. The bases of the leaves and tissue, which are directly adjacent to the veins, do not change their color for a long time. The leaves of diseased plants differ from the leaves of healthy ones - they are denser and more brittle and less smooth. As this beet disease progresses, it spreads from the middle and lower leaves to the inner leaves.

Over time, the jaundiced sieve tubes and adjacent cells become dead and filled with yellow mucus. The causative agent of beet jaundice is a whole complex of strains of severe beet jaundice and mild yellowing viruses.

The symptomatology of the disease that they cause differs in that when infected with the beetroot severe jaundice virus, a certain engraving of the beet tops and its slight fragility are visible, while when infected with a weak yellowing virus, the engraving is absent, and the fragility of the leaves, on the contrary, is pronounced. Viruses are found in the juice of an infected beet plant. Carriers of jaundice viruses are all kinds of aphids and other types of sucking insects.

Viruses - causative agents of beet jaundice remain in the roots, provided that the beetroot was infected. Weeds such as dandelion, quinoa, beetroot, and others can also act as sources of jaundice in beets.

Beet jaundice is a very harmful disease. The yield in this disease can decrease by 25-65%, and the sugar content decreases by 1.5-2.7%.

Protection and prevention measures:

using only healthy root crops for seed production;
spatial isolation;
timely and systematic disposal of weeds;
control of insects - carriers of beet jaundice viruses.

What are herbicides used for?

On a large area, using a herbicide is the only right decision, since it is impossible to cope with weeds on your own. Summer residents also use them on their plots. Weed grass pulls a large amount of nutrients and minerals from the soil, as a result of which the beets "starve" and the overall crop yield decreases. Timely chemical treatment will help protect crops from germination of grass.

Gall nematodes on beets

Beet nematode - Heterodera schachtii
Beet nematode - Heterodera schachtii

It should be noted that the defeat of beets by root gall nematodes occurs infrequently. This disease practically does not produce a powerful suppressive effect on beet plants. External symptoms of the lesion practically do not appear. The parts that are above the soil surface in affected and unaffected plants look absolutely identical.

Nematode signs are especially noticeable on root crops. At first glance, the symptoms of this disease are very similar to the symptoms of beet rhizomania. The main difference is that the nematode does not provoke vascular necrosis. The growth of the root crop slows down, and many galls with nematodes appear around the main root, which causes the appearance of numerous roots. The stock of useful elements is spent on the growth of new roots, and not on the development of the fetus. Root crops affected by root gall nematodes are poorly stored.

We have considered only a part of the diseases affecting table and sugar beets. Proper care of the beds, timely prevention, healthy seeds are the main conditions for growing a decent harvest of beets without much hassle.

Prevention of re-infection in the open field

To prevent further diseases, post-harvest residues are destroyed, and fertilizers are also applied. You can use the agrotechnical and chemical measures that are taken to prevent most diseases. Treating seeds and planting genetically resistant beet varieties significantly reduces the risk of injury.

Despite the large number of diseases affecting beets, it is quite possible to get a good harvest. To do this, they follow the planting rules, use suitable means of protection against pests and diseases in time, and make timely feeding.

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